Venom
by Lally
Summary: AU story.In a dark, smoke filled bar; somewhere on the edge of town, the sounds of a guitar were beginning to fill the room, quietly at first but then with more and more vigour and volume. Backlights revealed the silhouette of the lone guitar player stand


In a dark, smoke filled bar; somewhere on the edge of town, the sounds of a guitar were beginning to fill the room, quietly at first but then with more and more vigour and volume. Backlights revealed the silhouette of the lone guitar player standing on a hastily constructed stage, as the audience stood in awe filled silence, watching and waiting for the soloist to be joined by the rest of his band. Almost the entire audience knew the lyrics to each and every song, they had almost with no exception, seen the band perform many times before. In their small town, the band were infamous if not famous. They were known for standing out with their unique style of dress, known as troublemakers and unable to play anywhere except their current location, all the clubs and bars had heard of their reputation and refused them. They didn't really mind though, they liked the dump on the edge of town; it had a life and personality that many of the other, less- personal bars lacked. They were only slightly annoyed by the fact that their reputation was formed during the bands early days, when they needed their wild stage acts to gain attention to their music. Now they were known, they no longer needed the stunts to attract attention and had a steadily growing fan base.  
  
The lone guitarist began playing one of the bands well-known riffs and the spotlights suddenly lit up his face and body. He was looking at the floor, his blond and black hair covering his face. Slowly he began to look up. Green eyes pierced the entire crowd, framed in black with tiger stripes emanating outwards. He wore no top, but his lower half was covered in furry, zebra stripe, baggy pants, reaching to just below his belly button, which was pierced. Many members of the crowd copied his make up, showing their allegiance to the band. The rest of the band, consisting of a base player; he too had blond and black hair, but his black streaks were more defined than the lead guitarist, a drummer; hidden behind his kit, and a second guitar player; a heavy built and dark haired man, hiding in the shadows. The gig began properly and the audience began to move and sing along.  
  
At the back of the room, standing at the bar, a man glared at a couple of grungy kids who gave him a weird look. He was obviously a stranger in town and didn't fit in with the rest of the crowd. He was smartly dressed in an obviously expensive suit and was the kind of self important person that you would expect to be wearing sunglasses whatever the weather and no matter if he was indoors or outside. He even looked odd drinking his beer; he looked more like a spirits man. The concert continued but the man barely looked like he was paying any attention, he stood still at the bar, possibly contemplating an important decision, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. As the music came to a close for the final time he seemed to snap out of his trance and turned to face the band, staring intensely at them as if seeing them for the first time. The band walked off the stage and through the crowd to the bar. Each grabbed a beer, ready laid out for them by the barman. The lead guitarist and singer stood next to the smartly dressed men and looked him up and down with a scornful face. The pair ignored each other as both downed the last of their beer and the band headed back through the diminished crowd to begin disassembling their equipment. The bar continued to empty until only a few drunk regulars; the band and the smart guy remained. The band began to carry their stuff through the back, obviously to be loaded into some form of transport. The only member of the band remaining in the room was the lead singer. He was approached by the smart guy, who cleared his throat to gain attention. The singer turned slowly and stood up to his full height, glaring through his slightly smudged and sweaty make up. They stared intensely into each other's eyes, until unable to bear it any longer the smart guy looked away.  
  
"Matt Hardy," he said, confidently introducing himself and offering a hand to shake.  
  
"Jeff." The singer replied ignoring the waiting hand.  
  
"I work for Mad Hatter promotions." Matt continued still confidant, but slightly annoyed by the blatant rudeness shown towards him.  
  
"Gee, that's nice for you." Sarcasm filled Jeff's voice and he turned to continue disassembling his things.  
  
"We're interested in signing your band."  
  
"No." Jeff replied, obviously unimpressed with the offer.  
  
"We can make it worth your while."  
  
"We don't want no damn record deal." Jeff said fiercely, opening up his chest to show his full stature.  
  
"Is that the bands decision or just yours?" Matt replied, he more than matched Jeff physically. The rest of the band had begun to re-enter the room and came over, expecting a commotion.  
  
"The rest of the bands decision about what?" Shannon the base player asked.  
  
"Matt Hardy." Matt once again stated offering a hand, which was once again ignored. "I work for Mad Hatter promotions, we want to offer you a record contract."  
  
"Is that the companies decision or just yours?" Jeff mimicked.  
  
"I thought you guys would be up on the music business. I own Mad Hatter. I'm offering you a deal you won't be offered by anyone else in the business. I'm offering." Matt was cut off by Shannon.  
  
"Like Jeff said, we pass."  
  
"Hear me out" Matt demanded, but was ignored as the band walked off. "I'll leave my number, if you change your mind." He slapped a business card on the bar and walked out.  
  
Later that night, as the band collected the fee and split it four ways to last each of them a week, the drummer surreptitiously picked the business card up and placed it inside his wallet.  
  
Matt Hardy was on the phone in his large, well furnished office. "I don't care, I want it closed down." "It's a dump, surely you can find some public safety law to close it." "What I'm really asking is, can you afford or do you dare not to?" Matt challenged the caller. "As always it's been nice doing business with you, or it will be if it's done by the end of the week." He hung up and pressed a button on his desk. A buzzer could be heard somewhere outside the office and two large men walked through the door. "I want Mr Donovan to meet a nasty accident on Friday night, arrange it for him." The two men nodded and left as Matt sat back in his chair, laughing softly to himself.  
  
"Yo!" Shannon walked into the trailer, known as Jeff and, the drummer, Mike's home. As usual the band had organised a practice, each show they performed had to be different to keep the crowds coming and so each week was spent thinking of ways to change things and writing and rehearsing new material.  
  
"Your late, Shan." Danny the second guitar player pointed out.  
  
"I met Dom on the way" Shan replied, referring to the owner of the bar. "He says it's off."  
  
"What do you mean it's off?" Jeff asked annoyed.  
  
"The gigs are off. He's been shut down, apparently he doesn't reach the required 'public safety' standards."  
  
"Well how long until he's fixed it up."  
  
"He's not, he can't afford it."  
  
Chapter 2  
  
A huge argument erupted within the small confines of the trailer, the shouts could be heard from across the road and probably all the way into town as well. The main two voices behind the argument were those of Mike and Jeff. The pair had lived together in the cramped trailer for the best part of 3 years and had been friends for many years before that, having once lived next door, well ½ a mile down the road from each other, for a large part of their childhoods. Mike was the elder by a year, but had often hidden behind Jeff's wild character and assertiveness during their younger years. Throughout their teenage years the pair had often fallen out as a power struggle was fought between them. Mike's confidence had grown in these formative years and Jeff's had not lessened. Many clashes and fights ensued but had then died down as they grew to once again value each other's different character traits. During their 3 years together in the trailer they had had very few arguments and none too serious, but the strain of living with another person in a cramped space had built up within them and had now found the perfect moment to explode. Many accusations flew, crowded in with bad language as Shannon and Danny sat on a broken bed and let them get it all out.  
  
A while later the argument began to come to a close without actually reaching a conclusion. Both men sat and glared at the roof. "So are we gonna talk about this?" Shannon asked, but was only greeted with growls. "Okay, I'll tell you what I think of the situation. I think we need that record deal, we all need some money, we can't live off nothing and we can't get a gig in the town."  
  
"I'm not going to have a record deal with a company which is just gonna cramp our music, give us a load of teeny bopper fans and then slowly turn us into N*SUCKs." Jeff stated fiercely as Mike backed him up.  
  
"We don't know that they'll do that?"  
  
"Wanna bet."  
  
"Do you want a record deal or not?"  
  
"Yes but."  
  
"We're gonna have to take a chance on someone then. I know you wanna make your own company but we're earning a pittance. We're not gonna make enough money in this lifetime to start up a company. If we take a chance with this record deal then maybe we can earn enough to start it up and get out of this deal."  
  
"We're not gonna be able to get outta this deal. That's the thing, it'll be rock solid, our hands are twisted, they'll know that. We won't be able to get out of it, the next thing we'll know we'll be wearing matching clothes and dancing like a prick."  
  
"But." Shannon was about to retort when Danny interrupted him.  
  
"Hey hey." They all stopped and listened to their second guitar player, realizing that this was about the third time they'd heard him talk during the bands 6 year. Well, maybe they exaggerated but it felt like that. They all knew the reason that Danny never spoke, they had known it since the heard him talk for the first time. His slow struggling speech has been the peril of his childhood, after going deaf at the age of 7 his speech had deteriorated and he lost even more confidence as a young teenager when no band would even consider having a deaf guitarist. Shannon had introduced him to the band, who agreed to let him audition and then offered him a place on the spot as his natural talent shone through. They worried about the first gig, but the amps gave enough vibration on the stage for him to tell what was going on, and lip reading told him the rest. "You knocked the problem on the head earlier Shannon. We can't play anywhere in the town." He struggled to get the sentence out. The rest of the band looked at him, uncomprehendingly. "Why don't we play somewhere else?"  
  
"You mean go on a tour?" Mike and Shannon asked together.  
  
"How?" Jeff asked.  
  
"Surely you guys have a bit of cash put aside?" They all nodded silently. "Well if we just by some transport, a camper van or something, so we can sleep in it and go. We can earn our way around the country."  
  
"You know Danny-boy, You might just be onto something." Shannon stated as the others agreed.  
  
Hasty arrangements were made over the next week. Until finally a date had been set for the band to leave. But before they left the band had one last plan, and down by the creek they began to put their plan into action with the help of many of their friends. Posters around the town showed their plan was really kicking off and on the night before their departure an unearthly glow from the creek showed the plan underway.  
  
As hoards of people neared the creek they almost achieved synchronized gasping. The view in front of them was almost unbelievable in their small town. Next to the creek was a reasonably sized stage, lit up from every direction by bright white spotlights. The stage was set, the band was ready, and their farewell concert about to begin, but down by the creek another plan was being set in motion. The band were about to learn that no one says 'no' to Matt Hardy and no one screws Matt Hardy.  
  
Life in Mad Hatter head offices had been hell for all those concerned for recent days. There had been an unprecedented amount of people losing their jobs and no one felt secure in their role. Matt Hardy had been in a killer mood, very few of his staff could remember a week like this, with Matthew constantly muttering to himself under his breath and coming up with new, more and more ridiculous plans to get his revenge on the band. He often to be reminded that he wanted to sign the band and that they wouldn't play very well dead. The thing that scared most of his staff was that he didn't seem to care anymore. Matt Hardy had made his way in the business by going to any lengths to sign the bands he wanted. He had worked his way very quickly up through the record business before venturing out on his own. With the start of his own company he had become more and more determined although many would disagree and say obsessed or even possessed. He had grown to be a rich man, but also a ruthless man, having left many carcasses in his wake as he made his way up the ladder of success. Now he had reached the summit of the ladder he no longer had the need to create carcasses, but seemed to enjoy it, and even worse. The carcasses were no longer just metaphorical.  
  
The concert was in full swing and everyone was having the time of their lives. No one noticed the dark figure creeping around the stage, maybe if they had then the night wouldn't have been such a disaster, or maybe someone did notice but assumed it to be a stagehand. In the middle of "Malice" one of the crowd favourites things began to go wrong. As Jeff climbed on an amp at the front of the stage, designed to enable the band to hear themselves better, the roman candles set up for the grand finale went off. Sparks sprayed all over Jeff's torso, hands and arms. His face only saved by his immediate reaction. Jeff stopped playing as pain shot up his arms and across his chest and his skin reddened and blistered. The band came to Jeff's aid not a moment too soon as the spotlight about Mike's drum kit fell, smashing his stool and catching his foot as he ran to his friends aid. The crowd stared unmoving, unsure if the band had returned to their old antics in a more extreme way, or if things were going wrong. One close up look on the bands faces could have told them all they wished to know. Fear was etched across Shannon's face as both Jeff and Mike grimaced in pain. Only Danny stood still. He stood perfectly still and continued playing the song, his eyes closed as his full concentration focused on the music, not even noticing that the rest of the band had stopped playing. He didn't notice as the support frame for the lighting buckled. He couldn't hear the shouts of his band mates and the members of the audience who had noticed. His eyes remained closed as all the members of the band leapt forward at the same moment. Mike fell as his leg gave way, but both Shannon and Jeff ran across the stage, Jeff gasping violently as his wounded chest tightened. The pair reached him just as the falling equipment struck him. They managed to knock him out of the way, but there was already damage done. Mike allowed himself to fall off the stage as the remaining equipment and support frames fell. Shannon and Jeff took Danny between them and leapt off the stage as it crumbled.  
  
Gently lying Danny on the floor they looked down at him. Blood dripped from a huge gash across his forehead where there was considerable damage. Jeff flopped next to him as Shannon attempted to stop the bleeding. Mike crawled over and lay next to Jeff as sirens screamed in the distance. Gradually getting louder.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Jeff woke hours later from a drug-induced sleep. He was surprised not to feel pain in his body as he remembered the night before. All he could feel was a dull ache in his right arm and tingling in his chest and left arm. He tried to sit up, but as he moved the pain struck him, forcing him to cry out. A nurse entered through the curtain around his bed, obviously having heard his cry. "You're awake then?" Jeff growled remembering why he didn't like hospitals; everything about them wound him up. Especially the dumb questions, like 'what hurts?' when your bone is sticking through your skin. He didn't answer, surely she would find it blindingly obvious that he was awake, open eyes staring at her should be a dead give away. "I'll just go get the Doctor. I won't be 5 minutes."  
  
"Wait!" Jeff called, and the nurse's head reappeared around the curtain.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"My friends? Are they.?"  
  
"As I said I'll go get the Doctor." The head disappeared again and Jeff hit is head back on the pillow in frustration. It was another thing that annoyed him about hospitals, they constantly annoyed you by getting you to tell them things that were blindingly obvious, but they never told you the things that you wanted to know.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, the nurse returned with a doctor. He introduced himself, but Jeff didn't pick up the name. "Okay, Its Jeff right?"  
  
"Yes" Jeff replied through his teeth, deciding to count the stupid questions asked.  
  
"How are you feeling this morning?" '3' Jeff counted in his head. "Like Shit." He replied not caring for his language.  
  
"Are you in any pain?" 'Finally, a reasonable question.' "Not really, my right arm hurts a bit, and my other arm and chest feel.odd." The doctor nodded and pulled the blanket back to reveal Jeff's bandaged torso and arms.  
  
"We're just going to have a look. It might not be pretty." Jeff mentally prepared himself for the worst but it didn't look half as bad as he expected. He felt strangely let down, it felt as though it should be more impressive. The skin on his chest and left arm was red, raw and blistered but not too bad. His right arm was worse. It looked infected and obviously a lot of skin had been damaged.  
  
"Your chest and left arm will heal with time and shouldn't leave a scar but the damage to your right arm is more severe. We'll monitor it for a few days, and you may need skin grafts. I'm afraid that you will also be left with a scar." Jeff nodded, not really caring. "Do you have any questions?" The Doctor asked as the nurse bandaged Jeff up again. Jeff nodded.  
  
"My friends, are they ok?" The Doctor seemed to be searching his memory for a while before he found the answer.  
  
"Okay, its Shannon Moore right?" Jeff nodded. "He's fine, a few minor cuts and bruises but he wasn't admitted. Mike Baskien?" Jeff nodded again. "Ok, he suffered a broken ankle but will be up and about on crutches in no time." The Doctor finished and went to walk away.  
  
"What about Danny Miller?" Jeff asked desperately.  
  
"Danny Miller?" The Doctor spoke to himself. "Oh yes, I'll get someone from his.ward to come and see you about that." Only Jeff's injuries prevented him from taking his rage out on everything around him. He knew enough to know that it was going to be bad news and he feared the worst.  
  
Quarter of an hour later a new face appeared by Jeff's bedside. An older Doctor who closed the curtains before talking to Jeff. He introduced himself and perched on the edge of Jeff's bed. "You're a friend of Danny Miller's right?" Jeff nodded solemnly. "Danny suffered severe head injuries last night. One of the major veins on his brain was damaged; Danny was brain dead by the time he reached the hospital. There was nothing anyone could do for him. He wouldn't have felt anything, I'm sorry." He looked at the floor politely as Jeff tried to absorb the information. Tears sprang in his eyes and silently slithered down his cheeks. He swallowed twice and then spoke.  
  
"Do you know if any of my friends are still here? Shannon Moore or Mike Baskien?"  
  
"There was someone asking for you at the nurse's desk. I'll go and see." The Doctor left and minutes later Shannon appeared. He stood at the foot of Jeff's bed and just looked at Jeff's fresh tears. Shannon's face showed that not so long ago he had been in the same position, but now the pain had numbed. It wasn't forgotten and probably never would be, but he was at a stage of disbelief. He felt dreamy as though he was walking around in a nightmare. He was just waiting to wake up. Jeff looked up through tear filled eyes at Shannon.  
  
"Why, Shan? Why Danny?" Shannon didn't reply he just looked at Jeff as once again tears began to slide down both of their cheeks. Shannon walked over and sat in a chair by Jeff's bed. He looked at Jeff seriously and took a deep breath preparing to speak.  
  
"I don't know Jeff. I don't know who or why?"  
  
"Who?" Jeff asked confused.  
  
"I've spoken to the police, the support bar was cut by someone. The light above Mike had been cut." Jeff gulped as he tried to take in this new information. "Jeff, the police want to talk to you."  
  
"Why?" Jeff groaned. "I don't know anything." He hated the police, even more than hospitals.  
  
"You've got to admit, you have a track record."  
  
"They think I did this?! You think I did this?!" Jeff almost shouted in disbelief. "They, you think I would do this to myself."  
  
"There was no evidence that the candle was tampered with Jeff. That was an accident, but what happened to Danny and Mike wasn't." Shannon growled at his friend.  
  
"I didn't do it Shan, I wouldn't, not to my friends." Jeff tried to get his friend to believe him.  
  
"But you'd do it to someone else?" Shannon picked up on what Jeff had said.  
  
"Yes, no, I don't know. But what would I have to gain from doing this? You guys are like brothers to me, I would do anything for you guys. When I find the f*cker who did this, I'm gonna, I'm gonna." Jeff was almost bursting with rage. Shannon picked up Jeff's right hand from the bed, where it lay almost lifeless. He slowly rubbed the back of it.  
  
"I'm sorry man, I know you wouldn't do it.to us. But its just.someone did, and god, everything is just so screwed up. Danny's dead, Jeff, and someone, someone killed him."  
  
As Jeff and Shannon sat together, silently sharing their grief, the curtain was once again pulled aside and several men walked through. Jeff didn't have to look up to know it was the police. "Jeff man, we need to talk to you." Jeff and the police had been on first name terms for a long time, although neither party would call the other a friend. Shannon stood up and said something about coming back later, before walking out. The policeman who had addressed Jeff sat in the chair whilst the others stood at the foot of the bed. He offered Jeff a hand to shake, but Jeff just raised an eyebrow, not wanting the policeman to know he couldn't shake hands. "I guess Mr Moore told you why we wanna talk to you."  
  
"You know you guys are sick bastards right?"  
  
"Jeff we need you to co-operate."  
  
"Give me a reason." Jeff stated.  
  
"Okay Jeff. You know and I know that you are our main suspect, but we both know that you wouldn't do this to your friends."  
  
"So go over that bit again where you give the reason for me being the main suspect." Jeff was being difficult, just out of annoyance.  
  
"You have the record Jeff, we have to ask some questions, just to rule you out." Jeff didn't reply, he was fast running out of energy to be awkward. "Come on Jeff, you've got assault, theft, gbh, carrying a concealed weapon, manslaughter."  
  
"I didn't get manslaughter."  
  
"Okay, you got acquitted but the record is there. So if you'll just answer a few questions then we can rule you out and leave you alone." Jeff nodded.  
  
"Where were you last night?"  
  
"Down by the creek, doing a gig."  
  
"Where were you before the gig started?"  
  
"I was in my trailer with Mike. We got picked up by Shannon and Danny and drove down together."  
  
"What did you do when you arrived?"  
  
"We did a sound check and then waited backstage until it was time to start."  
  
"What did you do backstage?"  
  
"Had a few beers with the band and some of the crew."  
  
"Were you with the band at all times?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay, that sounds about what the others told us, you're off the hook."  
  
"Great, now get out."  
  
"Can we just ask you some more questions?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Jeff, this isn't about you, we wanna find the guy who did this. We need your help." Jeff nodded and the policeman asked a few more questions before leaving Jeff to sleep.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Jeff woke and vaguely realised that it must be the next morning. There was a nurse gently calling his name, trying to gently rouse him. He swore at her. "Come on Jeff, there's some police here to see you." Jeff uttered more obscenities at her and opened his eyes. "I'll just go show them in ok?"  
  
"Whatever" Jeff replied grumpily. She left the curtained area and after a few minutes the same policemen as the previous day walked in.  
  
"I'm afraid we need to talk to you again, Jeff." Jeff just raised an eyebrow and then shut his eyes again. "Jeff, its not easy to persuade my superiors that you shouldn't be a suspect. All they see is a record."  
  
"I didn't so it." Jeff said sternly not opening his eyes.  
  
"Some more information has come to light." Jeff ignored him. "Jeff, the candle was tampered with."  
  
"So first you thought it was me because it wasn't tampered with, and know you think it was me because it was. What do I have to do, to persuade you guys that it wasn't me?"  
  
"Wiping gbh and arson off your file would be a start."  
  
"I wouldn't hurt any of my friends and I wouldn't put myself in hospital."  
  
"Jeff, there are psych reports on you which say you would."  
  
"What stuff written, by an unintelligent twat, on me, while I was cooped up in that hellhole you call a state penitentiary centre?"  
  
"Jeff, we've been interviewing the stage hands. They say you weren't with the band all of the time. They all say that on two occasions you left for 5 minutes at a time."  
  
"Can't a guy even go for a piss without being accused of all this?"  
  
"Twice?"  
  
"I get nervous before gigs okay?" Jeff shut his eyes and tried to relax. As he got more and more wound up his chest and arms became more and more painful.  
  
"Jeff, we're going to have at arrest you on suspicion of one case of murder and two cases of attempted murder. You have been granted bail whilst in the hospital, but as soon as you are discharged you will be placed under full custody." Jeff groaned but didn't open his eyes.  
  
"Can you guys get out now?"  
  
"Yeah, we'll go. Mike was waiting to see you." They left and Jeff took a deep breath gratefully. He kept his eyes closed as he heard Mike enter on his crutches and then sit in the chair next to the bed.  
  
"You all right man?" He asked worried.  
  
"They just arrested me. They think I did it man. All because I went to the toilet a coupl'a times before the gig." Jeff sounded hurt.  
  
"They know you didn't man. They just don't know who did."  
  
"Yeah, they just like adding to my record."  
  
"You're an easy target for them Jeff. You've given them so much ammunition."  
  
"They don't know what really happened, they just see the record and assume I'm a bad egg."  
  
"Jeff, you're record is probably longer than you are tall!"  
  
"Oh, and yours isn't long?" The pair shared another of their usual banter style argument.  
  
"I never went down man."  
  
"You just didn't get caught."  
  
"Hence, I'm more intelligent, by anyway man, you got manslaughter!"  
  
"I didn't get manslaughter!" Jeff almost laughed.  
  
"You didn't go down, is that the same as not doing it?"  
  
"You would kill to know if I did or not wouldn't you?"  
  
"Jeff, it was 3 years ago and I still have no better idea if you did or not."  
  
"You really wanna know?" Mike nodded eagerly.  
  
"Well. what do you think?" Jeff continued to tease his friend.  
  
"I think you could when you lose your temper, but its unlikely cos you'd be wracked with guilt." Mike answered honestly.  
  
"Okay, you're probably right there. I didn't kill him."  
  
"How come they thought it was you then?"  
  
"I roughed him up a bit a few hours before he was killed. I admit that one but I didn't kill him." Mike nodded, knowing his friend was being truthful.  
  
"You know who did?" Jeff nodded, but Mike knew from his face not to pry any further.  
  
"You know who did this?" Mike spoke of their current situation, nodding towards his plastered leg and Jeff's bandaged torso.  
  
"I got a damn good idea."  
  
"Just don't do anything stupid Jeff. You're already under arrest, just tell them who you think it is."  
  
"I'm not grassing anyone."  
  
"If not for yourself do it for Danny."  
  
"What and get the guy sent down? That'll be like heaven compared to what I have in store for him." The anger which filled Jeff's body and shadowed his mind almost bubbled over in his rage filled voice.  
  
"Jeff, Danny wouldn't want revenge and he wouldn't want you to risk going down again."  
  
"I want revenge Mike and I can handle prison."  
  
"What like you handled it last time? Jeff you were a wreck when you came out."  
  
"I coped." Jeff said sternly, making it known that this was the end of the conversation.  
  
The next morning the doctor came to examine Jeff again. This time when the bandages were removed it was clear that the wounds were healing. "You're a fast healer, kid." 'kid?' Jeff kept quiet almost bemused.  
  
Jeff's wrist was still badly damaged but it was decided that he could be realised. "Oh, woopy-doo," Jeff remarked sarcastically, knowing it would mean being transferred from a hospital to a cell.  
  
"I'm still worried about your wrist though," The Doctor continued ignoring Jeff's sarcasm. The doctor asked Jeff to move his fingers and bend his wrist, examining everything carefully. "The movement has increased but is still well below normal. I think you should be referred for physiotherapy."  
  
"I'll take my chances without." Jeff stated determinedly.  
  
"I really."  
  
"I said I'll take my chances." Jeff stated again, cutting the doctor off. The Doctor shrugged and asked the nurse to rebandage the wrist. Just as she was about to finish the curtain was pushed aside by the policemen. "Oh, my lucky day." Jeff groaned.  
  
"Uh huh," The policeman agreed. "I'm here to tell you that you're off the hook."  
  
"Changed your mind about the candle?"  
  
"New information has arisen. The bars were cut during the actual gig, you were playing at the time."  
  
"You know who did it then?"  
  
"No. We thought you might be able to help us with that."  
  
"Like I'd be sitting here if I knew."  
  
"You sure."  
  
"You deaf?"  
  
"Okay but if you think of anything."  
  
"I know who not to call, yeah I know, get out."  
  
"Jeff, don't do anything stupid!" Jeff just raised an eyebrow pointedly. "You really don't like us do you?" It almost wasn't a question.  
  
"No."  
  
"What do we have to do to gain your confidence?"  
  
"Apologise for accusing me of killing one of my best friends."  
  
"Yes, we are really sorry about that, but there was protocol."  
  
".and then kiss my ass and wipe my record." Jeff struggled to keep his voice straight but managed it. The policeman looked at him with a look of disdain, and then left without saying another word. Jeff laughed to himself.  
  
"How's it feel to be out in the world again then?" Mike asked Jeff later in the afternoon. Jeff just shrugged in response as he painfully slipped his arms into a black dress shirt and buttoned it up. He looked himself up and down in the cracked mirror that was half hung on a nail, half taped up. A pair of black pants accompanying his black shirt and black nails. Deciding that he would suffice he looked over at Mike who was sat on one of the beds in their trailer. Mike was wearing all black too, their funeral outfits. Mike caught Jeff's eyes and they stared at each other's face for a second. Catching a glimpse of the pain and sorrow hidden behind their tough exteriors. A car horn blared outside their trailer, announcing Shannon's arrival. They went out to meet him and climbed into the car without words.  
  
As they arrived at the cemetery they saw a large crowd gathered. Many of the group's fans had turned up as well as some locals. Jeff scanned the crowd until his eyes settled on 2 men in disgust. His eyes softened a little on the elder of the 2 men. The man looked older than he was, years of pain and loss sowing on his face. A new pain showed on his face, a new loss to be dealt with. The pain was so fresh that Jeff almost felt the urge to go and comfort the man, but years of hurt built up on Jeff's part prevented him. The man's name was Gilbert Hardy, Jeff's father. But if you asked Jeff about it he would insist on the word estranged being placed before father. Despite living in the same town they had spoken only once in the 2 years that Jeff had been out of prison, and only a little more before he went in. Jeff's mother's death had affected his relationship with his father, neither of them really coping. Consequently their relationship went down the pan, as Jeff's behaviour worsened and his father despaired as how to help him. Jeff's gaze turned from his estranged father to the younger man stood next to him. His eyes immediately hardened as afire lit them up from within. The younger man was Matt Hardy, owner of Mad Hatter Promotions, Gilbert's other son, Jeff's brother.  
  
Jeff was Jeff Hardy, although few people knew that. Despite growing up in the town he had been forgotten by the majority of its inhabitants. Left to be Jeff, or that weird boy in that band. Even Mike seemed to have forgotten. He definitely didn't remember Matt Hardy as Jeff's brother, and Jeff would prefer to keep it that way.  
  
After the funeral Jeff, Mike and Shannon sat under a tree, a few feet away from the fresh grave. They had been sat in silence for about 5 minutes, each lost in their own thoughts until Mike's mind through up a question well a statement posed as a question. "I'm sure I recognise that Matt Hardy guy?" Jeff raised his eyebrows at the question, surprised that it was being worded and surprised that Mike hadn't figured it out.  
  
"Remember when we were at school together Mike." Mike nodded wondering where this story was going. ".and I still lived with my dad and my." Jeff couldn't bring himself to say the word.  
  
"Your..." Shannon pressed.  
  
"Brother." Mike finished. "Matt is your Matt, your brother."  
  
"You have a brother?" Shannon asked in disbelief.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"I had a brother. As far as I'm concerned he's dead now." Jeff spoke, his voice steady but fierce.  
  
"What happened?" Shannon asked looking at both Jeff and Mike. Mike shrugged but Jeff's face remained black, his eyes transfixed on something that was probably not in front of them at that moment of time and came somewhere up from his past.  
  
"When we were younger Matt was always the intelligent one." Jeff spoke in a whisper. ".Always the well behaved 'normal' one. Everyone's favourite. In all adult's eyes he could do no wrong, but we all knew the other side of Matt. He was mean, with a temper that would just fly with no prior warning. And when it did he would just change, he was like the antichrist. He did.stupid, irrational, evil things and then blamed them on other people. He lost all his friends because he framed them. I was his brother so I stood by him for the longest of all, but even I was relieved when he went off to college and out of my life. I was just 16- I thought I had enough time to change the world's opinion of me before I graduated. But what Matt left behind was worse than what he had taken. He phoned me one day, he sounded like he was panicking, asked me to help him. He sounded so desperate, so scared, I agreed. He told me that before he'd left he had borrowed some money from some . bad guys. He couldn't afford to pay them back and neither could I. He said they were going to kill him so I agreed to pay them a visit. I was big for my age and I worked out a lot, Matt said that if I just scared them a little they would leave him alone. I went to one of their houses and roughed the guy up a little, took some of his cash; I thought it would be useful. Then I moved on, as I made my way to the second house I was getting more and more angry, with the men, with Matt, with myself. No one was in, so I set fire to the house. There was just one more house to go to. The man there was pretty small, I beat him pretty bad and then went to the creek, annoyed with myself for what I'd done. The next morning I turned he TV on at home to find that one of the guys was dead and the other two were missing. I knew what Matt had done, or even if he hadn't killed them what he would do, so I tried to run, but by the time I was dressed and had slung the stuff I needed into a bag the police were downstairs, I tried to go out the back but they were there too. I still remember the moment when the attorney basically told me I was screwed. He kept saying how they had a solid witness. I told them there couldn't be because I didn't do it, but they just didn't listen. They told me I wouldn't like it if they told me who the witness was but I told them to just get it over with. I remember the exact words. 'Jeff's it's your brother, it's Matthew.' I felt like screaming, like killing someone, like killing myself and like killing Matt. My emotions were all over the place. Every time they had taken a statement from me I'd lied. I had covered for Matt, because on the surface at least I still didn't want to believe that Matt would do this to me. I still felt like I was betraying him when I told my attorney the truth about what happened and why I did it. And then after I had finished there were still so many questions he asked. It got me off but it killed me as well. He was my brother, and I thought no matter what he did it wouldn't change anything. I thought that I should try to stick by my brother. I thought that right up until the moment when I saw him in the witness box and heard what he said about me. I felt like breaking in half as he betrayed everything that brotherhood stood for, he betrayed every trust I had every given him. I stood there, unable to move or speak as he publicly trampled on my name and on my character. And then I watched emotionless as he was brought down peg by peg in the cross-examination. And I watched as he laughed as I was led out of the room after being sent down on lesser charges. I saw his face laughing at me from the front page of the local paper the next day as it described how, despite my 'despicable and desperate lies' I was sent to prison and Matt saved the day. I festered in prison, my hatred for him growing as he continued with his twisted life, getting richer and more powerful by the day as I lost more and more of my little money. He gained respect whilst the world forgot I existed. Even now he won't leave me to live my pitiful existence." Jeff broke off, unsure of what else there was to say. Both Shannon and Mike sat in silence for a minute, trying to absorb the tale.  
  
"Matt killed Danny?" Shannon tried to sort out what he had been told.  
  
Jeff nodded. "Because of me." He stood up and walked off leaving his friends where they sat.  
  
Chapter 6.  
  
Almost blind with a mixture of grief and rage Jeff walked. On reaching the creek Jeff sat down, as if in a trance. Hours later as the sun began to set; Jeff was still sat unmoving in the same position. Almost every event in his life was running through his mind. He was searching, for meaning, for reasons, for hope and for love. His mind worked over time, churning up images from his past. The many fights he'd had with his brother. Gradually Jeff worked his way back to the thoughts and memories he had kept hidden for most of his life. The things that were too painful to remember. Not because they were of bad times. They were too painful because they showed how things were, how things could have been if life hadn't brought so many changes. Times when Matt and Jeff got on, when their father bought them a trampoline which they turned into a wrestling ring. Times when they shared hopes, dreams and life ambitions. Jeff wondered what would have happened if their dreams had worked out. He imagined them as a successful tag team in the WWF. WWF superstars. For the first time Jeff came out of his trance and laughed despite himself. Like that would ever have happened.  
  
Chapter 7.  
  
Half an hour later a cab dropped Jeff off, 300m down the road from Matt Hardy's house. He wondered to himself what he was doing there, knowing it was stupid but still walking up to the house and then ringing the doorbell. A little girl answered the door. Jeff knew she would but still it surprised him. "Hey honey," She looked up at him, her green eyes blinking as he spoke.  
  
"Mommy." She called back into the house, not taking her eyes of Jeff. He looked at her, taking in her red pigtails and cute blue dungarees. Her bottom lip started to tremble and Jeff realised he was freaking her out. He smiled at her gently before looking past her into the house.  
  
"Jeff, what the h., what are you doing here?" A tall redhead spoke, correcting herself in front of her daughter.  
  
"She's grown so much!" Jeff was almost laughing.  
  
"The courts said you couldn't come here." The redhead, Amy, spoke sternly.  
  
"I needed to see her, I needed to talk." Jeff pleaded.  
  
"Ava, go out in the back yard, honey." Ava turned back into the house and ran off. Amy stepped forward, leaning against the doorframe, preventing Jeff from entering the house. "Matt's gonna be home any minute."  
  
"Coming to play dad is he? She's my kid Aimes, he stole her off me like he stole you and everything else in my life." Jeff whispered, his voice venomous.  
  
"No one stole me Jeff, I chose. I made my own decision."  
  
"He shouldn't be around her, she shouldn't know a scumbag like him."  
  
"What, she'd be better with you. It would've been better if she'd spent the first few years of her life asking where daddy was? What would I reply, Daddy's a bad man and has gone to prison."  
  
"Ouch," Jeff spoke his voice indecisive between honesty and sarcasm. "You know it's not like that."  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"You did it."  
  
"I thought I was helping Matt, and anyway I didn't have anything to do with them going missing or dying."  
  
"No Jeff, you just beat them up, stole their money and set fire to their houses." Jeff sighed, defeated.  
  
"I've changed. I want you back Aimes, I want Ava back."  
  
"You're too late. We're happy here with Matt. He's a great dad."  
  
"He's at it again Amy. He killed Danny."  
  
"I'm not even going to listen to this. Get over it Jeff, you screwed up, Matt didn't. Move on Jeff, do us all a favour and forget we exist. Ava doesn't need you, Ava doesn't want you." Amy slammed the door in Jeff's tearful face. Breaking down, Jeff sat on the doorstep, crying for himself, for Danny, for Ava. As the tears began to subside Jeff stood up and began to walk back down the drive. Lost in his own world, absorbed in his own mind. Too lost and absorbed to notice the car coming up the drive, too lost and absorbed to notice it speed up as the driver saw him, not too lost or absorbed to see the car a couple of metres away and try to run out of its path, and definitely not lost or absorbed as the car swerved to hit him. The world went black.  
  
Jeff woke up in extreme pain, unsure how long he had been unconscious for. Opening his eyes he concluded not long as he lay on the driveway, the car was on the other side of him, and felt like it had driven over his body. He tried to turn his head, but Matt did the favour for him, kicking his head so that he could see Matt almost standing over him. In the distance Jeff thought he could hear Amy calling out but she didn't appear.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Matt growled. "You don't belong here."  
  
"I came.see my girl." Jeff choked out in defiance.  
  
"What girl?" Matt laughed, kicking Jeff in the ribs. "Amy or Ava?" Meanly treading on Jeff's arm Matt stared down into his brother's eyes. "They're both my girls. My wife, my child. Sure your sperm, but Jeffy, your little role in their world was over a long time ago." Matt stopped speaking as a car rolled up the drive. Shannon and Mike leapt out, knocking Matt of Jeff and beginning to beat on him. Neither was willing to stop until they heard the screech of tires and the wail of sirens. Police quickly filled the driveway, dragging Shannon and Mike off Matt, and then restraining Matt as he tried to retaliate. Amy appeared, walking down the drive.  
  
"Who the hell called the cops?" Matt shouted angrily.  
  
"I did." Amy replied coolly.  
  
"You bitch, never ever call the cops." Matt spat, lunging at Amy from his restrained position.  
  
"Is anyone going to explain exactly what happened?" A police officer asked.  
  
"That guy," Matt spat nodding at Jeff who was being given first aid as the police waited for an ambulance. "He came, broke the court order, attacked my wife, scared my kid, then they turned up," he nodded at the other two. " They ran him over and started on me when I tried to stop them."  
  
"He's lying." A weak voice managed to break through the shouting. Everyone looked at Amy in silence. "Jeff came, he wanted to see Ava, I told him to leave. He was walking down the drive, he noticed the car really late, tried to get out of the way but." Amy began to cry. "But.Matt swerved, to hit him, he did it on purpose, then he just kept beating on him, he was out cold, but he still kicked and kicked." A female officer tried to comfort Amy as she continued with the story. "The other two turned up, stopped Matt but then started hitting him. I'd called the police the minute I saw Matt hit Jeff. You turned up then." She finished, still sobbing.  
  
Chapter 8.  
  
"Matthew Hardy, how do you plead to the charges of attempted murder of Jeffrey Hardy and intent to cause harm to Jeffrey Hardy, Shannon Moore and Michael Baskien "  
  
"Guilty on all counts."  
  
"And the charges of the murder of the business men Shane Helms and Paul Levesque, and the musician Daniel Miller."  
  
"Guilty on all counts." Matt recited.  
  
"Matthew Hardy, this court has found you guilty of three counts of Murder, one count of Attempted Murder and three counts of Intent to cause harm. Matthew Moore Hardy, you are being sentenced to life without the chance of bail." As the judge delivered his verdict, Matt eyeballed Jeff, his eyes tipped with venom. Jeff picked up his crutches and hobbled out of the courtroom. Once again, Jeff was incapable of hating his brother, he cried as he thought of his brother, he cried because he pitied him. 


End file.
